Automatic operator for sewing machines



Jan. 5, 1932. B. ALLEN- AUTOMATIC QFERATOR FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Oct. 19, 1929 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwuntgfi Edward 61 Allen E. B. ALLEN Jan. 5, 1932.

AUTOMATIC OPERATOR FOR SEWING MACHINES 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 19, 1929 gn uwnlfo'c Edward 1?. Allen Jan. 5, 1932,. .E. B. ALLEN AUTOMATIC OPERA 'IOR FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed 901:. 19, 1929 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 gwuenfoz I Edmrdfl. Allen I. it duonwq Jan. 5, 1932. E. a. ALLEN AUTOMATIC OPERATOR FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Oct. 19, 1929 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 gww'nto'v Ehward 6.412010 WMMMM:

Jan. 5, 1932. E. B. ALLEN AUTOMATIC OPERATOR FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Oct. 19, 1929- 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 m 1 I w u 0 .W. l l I 20 3 f J a 1 1% ,7 r 7 n J .r LT r z u .1 I. MN 6 4 0 9 1 F a L E vflu t u U WM 0 1 9 ..l 6 w A I 60 M K 6 m 0 M @N H j o 1 5 E o w u H w 1H M f 6 W 8 6 1 u v w "7 m My n 6m. 36 5 7 11 45 M H 7 i b M n Z I I I I I l l I l p v II M J 2 l 1 I EdwardflAZZen Jan. 5, 1932. B ALLEN 1,839,854

AUTOMATIC OPERATOR FOR SEWING MACHINES F iled Oct. 19; 1929 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 HIV/I/IIIIIIIIJIII/Z/IIJ IIIII% glwuwntoc EdwardflAllam Patented Jan. 5, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWARD B. ALLEN, OF NEWTOW'N, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, *OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY AUTOMATIC OPERATOR FOR SEWING MACHINES pp t on filed October 19, 1929. Serial 1%. 400,767.-

' nism and work-clamp to place the stitches in the desired order or arrangement. The ma-' chine may also be provided with means for cutting the sewing thread or threads at the completion of the sewing operation.

With many machines of this nature, as used commercially, there are provided two i operating treadles, one of which is connected to the work-clamp to open and close the latter and the other of which is connected to operate the stop-motion device to start the stitch-forming mechanism. It is also customary in some cases to provide a manually operated under-thread pull-ofi' and cutting device to sever the under-thread and provide a long enough end for thebeginning of the next sewing operation; such pull-off and thread-cutting device being connected to be operated by the same treadle which operates the work-clamp. For example, in operating a machine of the straight buttonhole type represented in the patent to Allen No. 885,310, of Apr. 21, 1908, the operator lowers the work-clamp on the work by a treadle, then a second treadle is depressed to start the machine in its sewing operation. At the completion of the sewing of the buttonhole and the cutting of the buttonhole slit, the ma-.

chine is automatically stopped. As soon as the machine comes to rest the operator again depresses the first named treadle which actuates the under-thread cutter and raises the work-clamp. These several foot-operations are tiring to the operator and requlre about as much time of the operator as is required by the machine to perform the sewing and buttonhole-cutting operations, thus slowing up production.

The present invention has for an object to provide a manually controlled device independent of the sewing machine for quickly and automatically performing in their proper order and at their proper times the various functions heretofore performed by the operator.

To the attainment of the ends in View, there is provided a self-contained power-driven device which is mounted on its own-frame or bed-plate and may be secured to the powerbench alongside the sewing machine in position for ready connection of the operative parts of the device to the parts of the sewing machine to be operated. The device preferably embodies a treadle-controlled onerotation clutch-device for connecting a driven shaft to a continuously running pulley or source of power; the driven shaft being geared in 2 to 1 relation to a second shaft which is thus caused to perform a half-rotation each time the clutch is tripped. A crank on this second shaft is connected to the usual work-clamp and under-thread cutting mechanism of the machine and also to the stopmotion device of the machine, so that, in performing its first semi-rotation, the workclamp is closed and the stitch-forming mechanism is started. At the completion of the sewing operation the stop-motion automatically trips the one-rotation clutch of the device a second time and the crank on the second shaft, in performing its second semirotation, operates the thread-cutter and opens the work-clamp.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. l is a side elevation of a straight buttonhole sewing machine and associated operating device mounted on a power-table. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the bracket-arm standard of the sewing machine, showing the sewing machine bed and the operating device in plan. Fig. 3 is a section on the line. 33, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a rear end elevation of the ma- .chine with the associated operating device.

Fig. 5 is an inner face view of the continuously running pulley of the device. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan View of the machine with the operating device in horizontal section on the line 66, Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7 -7, Fig. 4;. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 4 but with the parts in Y the respective positions which they occupy while the sewing operation is in progress. Fig. 9 is a top-plan view of the operat ng device with the arts in the same respective positions shown 1n Fig. 8. Fig. 10 IS a detail view of the clutch-controlling gate. Fig. 11 is a section on the line 11-11, Fig: 9: Fig; 12 is a fragmentary front side elevation of a power-table showing the driving and controlling connections for the sewing machine and associated operating device. Fig. 13 is a top plan View of the mechanism below the power-table top. Fig. 14 is a bottom plan view on an enlarged scale of the under-thread cutting mechanism. Fig. 15 is a similar view of the parts at another stage of the cycle of operations. Fig. 16 is a section on the line 16-16, Fig. 14. Fig. 17 is-a section on the line 1717, Fig. 14. Fig. 18 is a section through the thread-cutting and -nipping blades after they have been closed to cut and nip the under-thread. Fig. 19 is a section on the line 19-19, Fig. 14. Fig. 20 is a perspective view of the bobbin-thread catching arm of the under-thread trimming mechanism. Fig. 21 is a perspective view of the under thread trimming elements removed from the machine. Fig. 22 is a disassembled perspective view of certain latch-elements carried by the clutch-controlling gate.

For the purposesof the present disclosure, the invention is shown in connection with a straight button-hole sewing machine constructed substantially in accordance with the disclosures of the following copending applications E. B. Allen and W. Myers, Serial No. 272,416, filed Apr. 24, 1928; E. B. Allen, Serial No. 367,511, filed May 31, 1929; and A. R. Wood, Serial No 391,589, filed Sept. 10, 1929.

The machine is constructed with a frame including a bed 1, standard2, overhanging bracket-arm 3 and head 4.

The stitch-forming mechanism comprises the reciprocating and laterally jogging needle 5 and cooperating oscillatory shuttle 6 which are driven as usual from the mainshaft 7, the period of operation of which is controlled by the stop-motion device 8. The shuttle 6 includes the usual thread-case 6 for the under-thread mass or bobbin, not shown.

The stop-motion device comprises a tilting stop-motion lever 8, pivoted at 9 and carrying the spring-pressed plunger 10 which, when shifted into its vertically upright position, Fig. 1, is within the range of the stopcam 11 on the gear 12 and is first depressed by the eccentric cam-portion 13, Fig. 4, followin which depression it is projected u wardly y the spring 14 into thestop-notc 15 in the cam 11. The gear 12 is rotated at one-half the speed of the main-shaft 7 b means of the pinion 16 on the main-shaft. he main-shaft has mounted thereon the fast and loose pulleys, 17 and 18, respectively, over which runs the belt 19 driven from the double-grooved pulley 20, Figs. 12 and 13, on the countershaft 21 journaled in the bearing supporting.

ly through an aperture in the bed 1 and has pivotally mounted on its lower end a latchlevcr'28 having 'a'hook-shaped lower end including the shoulder 29 and inclined nose 30. The latch-lever 28 also includes the upwardly extending tail 31. A spring 32 yieldingly urges the latch-lever 28 in a clockwise direction, Fig. 8, about its pivot. A spring 33, coiled about the rod 27 and interposed between the bed 1 and a collar 34 on the rod 27, yieldingly urges the rod upwardly or in a direction to swing the stop-motion lever 8 to stopping position, Fig. 1. It will be understood that a downward pull upon the rod 27 willtilt the stop-motion lever 8 in-a counterclockwise direction, Fig. 1, about its pivots 9, to shift the stop-plunger 10 out of the stopnotch 15 in the stop-cam 11 and at the same time shift the belt 19 onto the fast pulley 17 to start the sewing operation.

The stop-motion plunger 10 has fixed to it an arm 35 which, when the stop-motion lever 8 is released from its running or inclined position, Fig 1, strikes the spring-pressed plunger 36 driving it endwise into its carrier-boss 37 on the arm 38 fixed to the horizontal rock-shaft 39 journaled in bearings at the side of the sewing machine standard 2. WVhen the plunger 10 is depressed by the eccentric portion 13 of the stop-cam 11, the arm 35 is carried below the plunger 36 which is then projected over such arm. When the plunger 10 is projected upwardly into the stop-notch 15, the arm 35 lifts the plunger 36 and thereby gives a rocking impulse to the shaft 39 for purposes to be described.

The work-clamp is of the well known con struction comprising the longitudinal slideplate 40 mounted in ways in'the cross slideplate 41 which slides in ways transversely of the bed 1. The slide-plates 40, 41 are actuated by the usual connections with the feedcutting and nipping blade 49, such as shown in the Allen Patent No. 885,310, previously referred to. The rock-shaft 48 hasfixed to its upper end a crank-arm 50 to which is pivotally connected a rod 51 slidably supported by the guide-bracket 52 mounted on the clamp-lever 46. The stop-motion-operated rockshaft 39 carries at its forward end an arm 53 carrying a pivoted latch-ex-- tension 54 which cooperates with the rod 51, as explained in the Allen Patent No. 885,310, to operate the needle-thread-cutter 49 at the end of a sewing operation. The rod 51 also preferably carries an abutment block 55 which is engaged by the levermechanism 56, 57 under the actuating influence of the cam 58 on the feed-shaft 59, as disclosed in the Wood application, Serial No. 391,589, to cause the thread-cutter 49 to release and re-trim the beginning end of the needle-thread while the sewing operation is in progress.

The clamp-foot 47 is held closed upon the work by the spring 60 which at all times presses downwardly upon the clamp-lever 46. The clamp-lever 46 may be raised against the pressure of the spring 60 to lift the clampfoot 47, by downward pressure of the roller 61 upon the rearward extension 46 of the clamp-lever. The roller 61 is carried by the vertical rod 62 which at its upper end is pivotally connected by the screw 63 to the leverarm 64 looseon the rock-shaft 39. The reduced lower end of the rod 62 is slidably received in a guide-bracket 65 mounted on the bed 1. A recovery spring 66 interposed between the guide-bracket 65 and the enlarged upper portion of the guide-rod 62 tends to fully elevate the arm 64 when the downward pull on such arm is relieved.

The machine is preferably equipped with under-thread cutting and nipping mechanism comprising spaced stationary cutter and nipper blades, 67 and 68, respectively, be-

tween which are pivoted at 69 the movable cutter and nipper blades, 70 and 71, respectively. The cutter-blade 70 has extending laterally therefrom an actuating arm 72 formed with a downturned lip 73 affording a striking faeefor engagement by the operating push-bars 74, 75. The movable nipper-blade 71 is pinned to the cutter-blade at 76 and moves with the latter. The threadcutting and -nipping device, including the Y stationary blades, 67, 68 and movable blades 70, 71, is mounted on the under side of the cross-slide plate 41 in a position close to one end of the needle-clearance slot 77 in the needle-throat member 77 The spring 78 connected to the arm 72 tends to move the blades 7 0, 71 to closed position between the stationary blades 67, 68 to cut and nip the under-thread.

As the thread-cutter is positioned slightly The legs 82, 83 are each formed in .one edge with a thread-catching notch defining the thread-catching fingers 84, 85 which catch the bobbin-thread t and carry it between the open aws of the thread-cutting and -nipping device, Figs. 14 and 17.

The arm is actuated by a link-connection 86 with a slide-plate 87 from which depends a stud 88 embraced by the forked end 89 of a lever 90 fulcrumed at 91 below the bed 1 and at its other forked end 92 embracing a ball-stud 93 carried by the lower end of a lever 94 sustained by and free to turn relatively to the rock-shaft 39. The lever 94 carries a roller stud 95 which is engaged by the cam-shaped end 96 of an arm 97 fixed to the rod 62. When the rod 62 is projected downwardly by a pull on the clamp-opening lever 64, the cam-end 96 of the arm 97 swings the lever 94 across the lead of the bobbin-thread from the position shown in Fig. 8 to that shown in Fig. 4; whereby the bobbin-threadis caught by the fingers 84, 85 and carried into the open jaws of the thread-cutter.

Slidably mounted on the under side of the cross-slide plate 41, between the guide-pins 98, 99, is the push-rod or cutter-setting latch 74 which carries a stud-screw 100 passing through a slot 101 in the arm 80. The tail 102 of the latch 74 isinclined to the left, Fig. 14, and is connected by a spring 103 to an arm 104 rigid with the cross-slide plate 41. The nose 105 of the latch 74 is inclined to the right, Fig. 14 and is adapted to engage the lip 7 3 of 'the thread-cutter arm 72, in its dotted line position, Fig. 14, and open the threadcutter to its full line position during the swinging movement of the thread-catching arm 80. During the final movement of the arm 80, the inclined tail 102 of the latch 74 engages the guide-pin 98 andisdeflected to the right, Fig. 14, thus swinging the latch about the guide-pin 99 as a fulcrum and disengaging the nose 105 from the lip 73, whereuponthe spring 78 quickly swings the movable thread-cutter blades 70, 71 to closed or dotted line position, Fig. 14.

At the beginning of the next sewing operation and after the initial stitches have been formed, the nipped bobbin-thread is released by movement of the push-bar 75 from the position shown in Fig. 14 to that shown in Fig. 15, during which movement the push-bar 75 engages the lip 73 of the thread-cutter arm 72 and opens the blades. The push-bar 75 is formed at one end of the slide-bar 106 from which depends a stud 107 entering the slot 108 in one end of a lever 109 fulcrumed at 110 belowthe bed'l and carrying an adjustable cam-follower nose 111 which is engaged by the nipper-opening cam 112 on the feedwheel 42. The levers and 109 have connected thereto the respective recovery springs 113 and 114.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the operation of the machine is controlled by the pull rod 27 which operates the stop-motion device to start the stitch-forming mechanism, and the lever 64 which operates the work-clamp and under-thread cutter. These parts, or parts analogous thereto, have theretofore been connected by chains to separate treadles to be manipulated by the operator. According to the present improvement they are connected to an automatic operating device independent of the sewing machine and mounted alongside the latter on the table-top 23.

The operating device is constructed with a frame including a bed-plate 115 from which rise bearing pedestals 116. 117 for the powershaft 118 and driven shaft 119; the powershaft 118 carrying a pinion 120 which meshes with a gear 121 of twice its size mounted on the driven shaft 119, whereby the latter is turned one-half of a revolution for each complete revolution of thepower-shaft 118.

The power-shaft is controlled by a well known form of one-revolution clutch-device, such as disclosed in the Allen Patent No. 1,024,490, of Apr. 30, 1912, for controlling the buttonhole cutter shaft. Fixed to the shaft 118 is a clutch-disc 122 formed with a radial slideway 123, Fig. 1, for the slide-block 124 having on its back and front faces, respectively, the lug 125 and tooth 126. A spring 127 urges the slide-block 124 outwardly from the shaft 118 to carry the tooth 126 into position to be engaged by one of the clutch-teeth 128 on the inner face of the continuously running pulley 129 which is loose on the shaft 118 and is connected by the belt 130 to the pulley 131 on the'counter-shaft 132 having the bevel gear connection 133 with the countershaft 21.

J ournaled in the bearing boss 134 on the base 115 is a vertical rock-shaft 135 to the lower end of which is secured an arm 136 having its free end connected with a chain 137 running over a pulley 138 and connected to a treadle 139. Fixed to the upper end of the shaft 135 is the clutch-controlling gate 140 the free end of which is in the form of'a vertically disposed plate 141 having a curved or cam-shaped clutch-tooth-retracting edge 142, Fig; 3, terminating in a stop-shoulder 142. Pivoted at the side of the plate 141 is a latch 141' which operates in the usual manner to prevent rebound of the stop-lug'125 after it strikes the stop-shoulder 142'.

When the operator wishes to start the machine, he exerts a momentary pressure upon the treadle 139 thereby swinging the gate on its pivot shaft 135 away from the clutch-disc 122, whereupon the slide-block 124 is released from the cam-edge 142 on the gate-head 141 and is projected outwardlyby the spring 127 to carry the clutch-tooth 126 into the path -of travel of the rotary clutch-teeth 128, thus connecting the shaft 118 to the belt-pulley 129 for a single rotation.

The hub 143 of the clutch-disc 122 is formed with a cam-slot 144 intowhich projects a pin 145 carried by the gate 140. This cam-slot forces the gate back into initial position for the curved edge 142 and stop-shoulder 142' to be engaged by the slide-block lug 125 to retract the clutch-tooth 126 and disconnect the clutch-disc 122 from the source of power, the stop-shoulder 142' and rebound-preventing latch 141' arresting the driven shaft in. a definite predetermined position at the completion of a single rotation.

Fixed to the driven gear 121 is a crankpin 146 to which is connected the upper end of a link 147 connected at its lower end to the ball-stud 148 at one end of a lever 149 fulcru'med at 150 on an extension 151 of the baseplate 115. The lever 149 hasfixed to its opposite end a square-shouldered lug 152 which is adapted to engage the shoulder 29 on the latch 28 of the stop-motion-controlling pullrod 27. A chain 153 is connected at its lower end to the link 147 and at its upper end to the lever-arm 64 which controls the work-clamp and under-thread cutter.

The crank-pin 146 is so disposed on the gear 121 that for each half-revolution of such, gear, it is moved from its lowest to its highest position or vice versa. When the sewing machine is at rest the crank pin 146 is in its lowest position, Fig. 4, and the lug 152 on the lever 149 is in position over the shoulder 29 of the latch-lever 28 on the stop-motion-controlling pull-rod 27 which is in elevated or stopping position. The crank-pin 146, in its lowest position, is pulling downwardly on the chain 153 thus holding the work-clamp open and the thread-cutter-lever 90 in the position in Fig. 6. When the operator steps on the shaft 39 is a downwardly extending arm 154 to the lower end of which is pivotally connected one end of a bar 155 the other end of which passes freely through and rests on the bottom of a vertical slot 156 in the vertical arm 1570f a bracket 158 secured to the clutchcontrolling gate'140. The top of the slot 156 is closed by the latch 159 the bottom end of the tripping point 169 Fi 6 on the feed- 1%() about its p1vot which is formed with a flat I60 pressed 140 to initiate a second half-rotation of the against by a leaf-sprin 161 to yie dmgly shaft 119.. Before the shoulder engages the retain the latch 159 in s ot-closing position.

A leaf-spring 162, secured to the bar 155 and 5 pressing upwardly upon the slot-closing shoulder 163 of the latch 159, yieldin 1y retains the bar 155 in contact with the ottom of the slot 156. The bar 155 is formed at its lower edge with a clutch-gate-tripping shoulder 164 and has fixed thereto the downwardly extending arm 164'. Pivoted on the bearing pedestal 116 is a clutch-gate stop-arm 165 which is constantly urged by the spring 166 i toward the position shown in Fig. 9 in which 15 position the free end of the arm 165 blocks movement of the plate 141 of'the gate 140 away from the driven disc 122 and hence locks the clutch against accidental re eated operation. The stop-arm 165 has a ateral extension 167 which presses against the vertical arm 164, Figs. 2 and 4, and holds the stop-arm 165 in position to release the gate 140.

When the stop-motion controlling pull-rod 27 is pulled downwardly to running posit on to start the sewing operation, the stop-motion lever 8 is tilted to dotted line position, Fig. 1, and the arm 35 is carried inwardly beyond the end of the plunger 36, thereby releasing the arm 38 which is pulled downwardly by the spring 38, and gives a rocking impulse to the shaft 39. This movement of the shaft 39 shifts the arm 154 and rod 155 from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 8, allowing the spring 166 to move the stop-arm 165 from the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4 to that shown in Fi s. 8 and 9 in which the gate 140 is locked. lt will also be observed that, in'this endwise motion of the rod 155, the shoulder 164 is pushed beyond the bottom of the slot 156 in the arm 157 and dropsdown into position to catch the arm 157 and open the gate 140 to trip the one-rotation clutch, when the rod 155 is moved 'endwise in the reverse direction. The arm 167 has a downwardly inclined lateral extension 168 which strikes the side of the bearing pedestal 117, Fig. 9, to limit the movement of the stop-arm 165 under the influence of the spring 166.

When the sewing operation is completed,

wheel 42, swings the lever 171 causing its opposite end 172 tostrike the tail 31 of the latch 28, Fig. 8, and disengage the shoulder 29 from the lug 152, thereby releasing the rod 27 and permitting the stopmotion lever to swing to its vertical or"sewing machine stopping positlon.

During the action of the stop-motion device in bringing the stitch-forming mechanism to rest, the arm 35 is engaged under and lifts the plunger 36, rocking the shaft 39 and swinging the arm 154 to the right, Fig. 8, in which movement the shoulder 164 of the rod 155 engages the arm 157 and opens the gate arm 157, the arm 164 swings the arm 167 andstop-arm 165 from the position shown in Figs.

8 and 9 to that shown in Fig. 2, therebydlr'le 8 moving the stop-arm 165 from gate-bloc position by the time the shoulder 164 engages the arm 157 to open the gate.

In the second half-rotation of the shaft 144 may restore the gate 140 to closed position to arrest the driven disc 122 at the end of its second rotation. This is accomplished by a cam 173 on the shaft 119 which swings the lever 174 about its fulcrum 175 and causes its laterally extended end 176 to strike the lower end of the arm 164' and lift the rod 155, thus disengaging its'shoulder 164 from the bottom of the slot 156 in the arm 157. This completes the cycle of operations.

Having thus set forth the nature of th invention, what I claim herein is: c

*1. The combination with a sewing machine tabletop, of a sewing machine mounted on said table-top and having a frame, stitchforming mechanism, a stop-motion device, a work-clamp, and means to be operated by an agency outside the machine for opening and closing the work-clamp and shifting the stopmotion device to running position, of a second frame distinct from the sewing machine frame, and stationed on said table-top alongside the sewing machine, power-operated means on said second frame for operating said first mentioned means, manually operated means for initiating the action of said power-operated means to effect the closing of the work-clamp and the shifting of the sto motion device to running position, and mec anism connected to be operated by said stopmotion device for repeating the operation of said power-operated means to eifect the opening of the work-clamp.

2. The combination with a sewing machine having a frame, stitch-forming mechanism, a stop-motion device for controlling its period of operation, a work-clamp, and feeding mechanism for relatively moving the stitchforming mechanism and work-clamp, of a second frame separate from the sewing machine frame, a shaft journaled in said frame, continuously running power-means supported by said frame, an automatic throw-out clutch between said shaft and power-means,

a and operative connections between said operative connections between said shaft and the work-clamp and stop-motion device of the sewing machine, manually controlled means for actuating said clutch at the beginning of a sewing operation to cause said shaft to close the work-clamp and operate the stop-motion device to start the stitch-forming mechanism and then come to rest, and a connection between the stop-motion device and said clutch to operate the latter at the completion of the sewing operation to cause said shaft to open the work-clamp and again come to rest.

3. The combination with a sewing machine having stitch-forming devices including a reciprocating needle and under-thread mechanism, a stop-motion device for controlling the period of operation of the stitch-forming devices, a work-clamp, an under-thread cutter, a pull-operated element connected to the stop-motion device for shifting the latter to running position, and asecond pulloperated element connected to open the workclamp and operate the under-thread cutter, of an operating device constructed separately from the sewing machine and comprising continuously running power-means, an automatic throw-out clutch, a driven shaft, means connected to be operated by said shaft for exerting pulls onsaid pull-operated elements in alternation, manually operated means for tripping said clutch at the beginning of a sewing period and means connected with the stop-motion device for automatically tripping said clutch at the end of a sewing period, said driven shaft being twice started and twice stopped for each buttonhole-producing c cle.

4. The combination with a sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism, a stopmotion device for controlling its period of operation, a work-clamp, means for relatively moving the stitch-forming mechanism and work-clamp, a stop-motion-controlled rockshaft, and an arm fixed to and extending downwardly from said rock-shaft, of an operating device constructed separately from the sewing machine and comprising continuously running power-means, a driven-shaft,

an automatic throw-out clutch between said power-means and driven shaft, a clutch-controlling member, manual means for operating said clutch-controlling member at the beginning of a sewing period, a connection between said downwardly extending arm and said clutch-controlling member for again operating the latter at the end of a sewing period,

driven shaft and the work-clamp and stopmotion device.

5. The combination with a sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism, a stopmotion device for controlling its period of operation, a work-clamp, means for relatively moving the stitch-forming mechanism and work-clamp, a stop-motion controlled rockshaft, and an arm fixed to and extending downwardly from said rock-shaft, of an operating device constructed separately from the sewing machine and comprising continuously running power-means, a driven-shaft, an automatic throw-out clutch between said 'power means and driven shaft, a clutch-controlling member, manual means for operating said clutch-controlling member at thebeginning of a sewing period, a pull-rod connected tosaid downwardly extending arm and having a shoulder engaging said clutchcontrolling member for agaln operating the latter at the end of a sewing period, means on said driven shaft and connections for disengaging said rod from said clutch-controlling member to permit the latter to resume stopping position, and operative connections between said driven shaft and the workclamp and stop-motion device.

6. The combination with a sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism, a stopoperation, and a pull-rod connected to said stop-motion device to shift the latter to run- 'motion device for controlling its period of I ning position, of an operating device constructed separately from the sewing machine and including a lever, a pivoted latch-connection between said lever and pull-rod for imparting a down-pull to said rod to start the stitch-forming mechanism, and means for'tripping said latch at the end of a sewing period to stop the stitch-forming mechanism. 7-. The combination with a sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism, a stopmotion device for controlling its period of operation, a work-clam a feed-wheel for relatively moving the stitch-forming mechanism and work-clamp, and a pull-rod connected to said stop-motion device to shift the.

her and shaft adapted to impart a partial rotation to said shaft for each actuation of said clutch, and means connected to said shaft and adapted for connection to the sewing machine pull-members.

9. An operating device for sewing machines havin motion operating pull-members, said device comprising a frame adapted to be mounted on a table-top alongside the sewing machine clamp-opening and stopand having a continuously run ning member,

and a driven shaft with an automatic throwout clutch and connections between said member and shaft adapted to impa'rtsemirotational impulses to said shaft with inter mediate periods of rest, and a crank on said shaft timed to 00011 y its high and low positions alternately uring successive periods of rest of said shaft, said crank being adapted i for connection to the sewing machine pulls members. I

10.'An operating device for sewing machines havin clamp-opening and stopmotion operating pull-members, said device comprising a frame adapted to be mounted .on a table-top alongside the sewing machine and having a continuously running member,

a first driven shaft, a one-rotation automatic throw-out clutch connection between said member and first driven shaft, a second driven shaft geared to the first driven shaft to execute a half-rotation for each com lete rotation of the first driven shaft, a cra on said second driven shaft timed to occupy its a high and low positions alternately during successive periods of rest, said crank being adapted for connection to the sewing machine pull-members.

11. An automatic operating device for manually controlled sewing machines comprising, a frame, a pair of shafts journaled in said frame and geared together to run in two-to-one relation, continuously running power-meanscarried by said frame, a onerevolution clutch-device between said powermeans and the higher speed shaft, and a crank on the lower speed shaft adapted for connection with the sewing machine controls.

12. An automatic operating device for manually controlled sewing'machines comprising, a frame, a pair of shafts journaled in said frame and geared together to run in two-to-one relation, continuously running power-means carried by said frame, a onerevolution clutch-device between the powermeans and higher speedshaft, a crank on the lower speed shaft, and a lever fulcrumed I v on said frame and connected to be operated by said crank.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification. 1

EDWARD B. ALLEN 

